National self-sufficiency in reproductive resources: an innovative response to transnational reproductive travel

Transnational reproductive travel is symptomatic of insufficient supplies ofreproductive resources, including donor gametes and gestational surrogacy services,and inequities in access to these within domestic health-care jurisdictions.Here, we argue that an innovative approach to domestic policy makingusing the framework of the National Self-Sufficiency paradigm represents thebest solution to domestic challenges and the ethical hazards of the global marketplacein reproductive resources.

How to address the ethics of reproductive travel to developing countries: a comparison of national self-sufficiency and regulated market approaches

One of the areas of concern raised by cross-border reproductive travelregards the treatment of women who are solicited to provide their ova orsurrogacy services to foreign consumers. This is particularly troublesome inthe context of developing countries where endemic poverty and low standardsfor both medical care and informed consent may place these womenat risk of exploitation and harm. We explore two contrasting proposals forpolicy development regarding the industry, both of which seek to promoteethical outcomes and social justice: While one proposal advocates efforts tominimize cross-border demand for female reproductive resources throughthe pursuit of national self-sufficiency, the other defends cross-border tradeas a means for meeting the needs of vulnerable groups. Despite theconflicting objectives of the proposed strategies, the paper identifiescommon values and points of agreement between the two, including theimportance of regulations to safeguard those providing ova or surrogacyservices.

The long road from the kidney bazaar: a commentary on Pakistan’s progress towards self-sufficiency in organ transplantation

The dark history of transplant tourism in Pakistan demonstrates the hazards of unregulated cross-border markets in human organs. Trading on existing national and international social inequities, ‘transplant tourism’ offers dubious benefits for transplant recipients and attractive profits to those facilitating the industry at the expense of the world’s poor. The impact of Pakistan’s 2007 Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissue Ordinance and the sustained efforts of transplant professionals and societal groups led by the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, show that organ trading can be effectively discouraged and equitable programs of organ procurement and transplantation pursued despite multiple challenges. In this paper, the factors that have contributed to Pakistan’s progress towards self-sufficiency in organ transplantation are identified and discussed. The case of Pakistan highlights the need for countries to protect their own organ and tissue providers who may be vulnerable in the global healthcare market. Pakistan provides an excellent example for other countries in the region and throughout the world to consider when regulating their own transplantation programs and considering the pursuit of national self-sufficiency.

The dynamics of adult education : effectiveness of financial education seminars

This study examines the impact of adult education seminars in superannuation investments for retirement has on the investment intentions and decision making of those adults attending the seminars.  The socio-political context of the data is that of an aging population and a future government being unable to afford the current level of age pensions being paid, and attempting to encourage individuals to plan and provide for their own financial well-being in retirement.  Three themes emerged from the data and were seen to be representative of the major issues found in adult education for financial self-sufficiency: education for knowledge, education for decision making, and education for action.  In an attempt to measure the immediate impact of the seminar on the attendees decision making, the investment intentions of seminar attendees were captured at the start and end of the seminar. This was followed up three months later to see whether the intentions expressed at the end of the seminar had been implemented.  The immediate impact of the seminar was to encourage the respondents to express an intention to increase their investment strategy, however when the follow-up was done three months later, the results were mixed. Some respondents who did not express an intention to change their investment strategy actually made changes, and other respondents who did express an intention to make a change, did not do so.

Case study of the integration of ICT's into the school curriculum

This study, conducted in a laptop environment, found many factors mediate teachers' integration of information and communication technologies (ICTs) into the curriculum. Successful integration of ICTs was not so much related to pedagogical style and teachers' self-sufficiency with computers, as to the principle of 'teachers first' and professional development which utilizes a 'situative-learning' model.

The Doha model of organ donation and transplantation: thinking beyond citizenship

This paper reviews the policy and practice of organ donation and transplantation in Qatar that has developed since January 2011. The important features of the Doha Model (the ‘Model’) are explored, including: (i) all legal residents of Qatar have an equal right to access deceased donor organs and transplantation regardless of their citizenship status; (ii) no prioritisation in organ allocation is given to Qatari citizens; (iii) a multilingual and multicultural education and promotional program about donation has been implemented to engage the diverse national communities resident within Qatar; (iv) financial incentives or fungible rewards for living or deceased donation are prohibited. The ethical framework of this policy will be examined in the light of the national self-sufficiency paradigm, which advocates reciprocity and solidarity among resident populations seeking to meet all needs for transplantation equitably. We review some preliminary evidence of the impact of the Model with respect to engagement of a highly diverse multinational population in a donation and transplantation program, and argue that the Model may inform policy and practice in other countries, particularly those with non-citizen resident populations.

Medical travel and the sale of human biological materials: suggestions for ethical policy development

The international medical travel industry includes patients seeking to access human biological materials (HBM) including gametes, organs and stem cells. Of the various niche markets, ‘transplant tourism’ has earned global condemnation and efforts to eradicate cross-border trade in organs, while other markets continue to expand. This article reviews the ethical issues raised by medical travel for HBM, in particular those concerning trade in HBM. It argues that a more consistent approach to the regulation of cross-border trade is imperative to ensure that the perils of ‘transplant tourism’ are not replicated in other markets. In addition, it discusses the role of the self-sufficiency model in assisting the development of ethical and practical policies regarding the procurement and use of human biological materials at a national level, thereby minimizing demand for medical travel.